Accessory for a double basin kitchen sink

ABSTRACT

An accessory for a double basin kitchen sink which comprises a first member and a second member together with an attachment on its bottom surface. The said first member rests on a sink divider and overhangs over both sides of the sink divider. The said first member has two legs that straddle the sink divider. The two legs of the first member are attached to the sink divider. 
     The second member of the invention can be a cutting board or a bowl or a colander or a mounted blade, together with an attachment on its bottom surface. For example, the second member of the invention can be a cutting board that has an “S” shaped attachment on its bottom surface so that it engages said overhang portion of said first member of the invention. The second member of the invention is then slid along said first member so that it rests on the sink divider. If the second member of the invention is a cutting board, then part of the cutting board rests on the sink divider and part of it rests on the countertop located in front of the sink divider.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an accessory for double basin kitchen sinks.The accessory can be in the form of a cutting board or a bowl or acolander or a mounted blade.

2. Prior Art

The prior art has cutting boards mounted over the sink divider in adouble basin kitchen sink or they straddle across one of the basins orthey are mounted on the kitchen countertop. The present invention ismounted over the sink divider and has many more uses. It can be acutting board or a bowl or a colander or a mounted blade. In a smallkitchen or in a commercial kitchen, such flexibility is important.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,625,162 shows a cutting board that is attached to thesink divider by using studs that fit into nuts mounted onto theunderside of the cutting board. These nuts are slid into slots andnonrotatably mounted. The cutting surface so produced can be shaky anddoes not present other uses such as those shown in the presentinvention.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,341,770 B1 has a first cutting board that straddles asink divider and a second cutting board that is connected to the firstcutting board on one edge and the other edge rests on the countertop.This arrangement obstructs one of the two sinks and both cutting boardscan be shaky. because they are supported at the edges.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,994,336 B2 shows a cutting board that is mounted on thecounter edge. It uses the narrow counter space located at the front ofthe sink to provide a cutting surface. There is a good chance anyspillage would end up onto the floor because the cutting board is rightat the edge of the kitchen counter. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 6,994,336B2 can only provide a cutting board on the kitchen sink.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,305 B1 shows a cutting board that is movableside-to-side and front-to-back over a sink basin. It substantiallyobstructs the sink basin.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,964 shows a cutting board that is supported over onebasin of a double basin kitchen sink. It substantially obstructs thesink basin.

The present invention is stable because it is supported by the dividerof the kitchen sink and the countertop in front of the sink divider. Onemember of this invention is detachable. When removed, there is hardlyany obstruction to the double basin kitchen sink.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a first member, and a second member withattachment(s) on its bottom surface. The first member rests on the sinkdivider and overhangs over both sides of the sink divider. Said firstmember has a top surface and a bottom surface. The bottom surface hastwo legs that straddle the sink divider. Bolts are used to attach thetwo legs of the first member to the sink divider. Other means ofattachment may be used.

The second member of the invention can be a cutting board or a bowl or acolander or a mounted blade, together with attachment(s) on its bottomsurface. For example, the second member of the invention can be acutting board that has two “S” shaped attachments on its bottom surfaceso that it engages said overhang portions of said first member, as shownin FIG. 2. The second member of the invention is then slid along saidfirst member so that it rests on the sink divider. If the second memberof the invention is a cutting board, then part of the cutting boardrests on the sink divider and part of it rests on the countertop locatedin front of the sink divider.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 a perspective view showing a first member and a second member ofthe invention where the second member is a cutting board.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the first member of the inventiontaken from the cut 2-2 as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a cutting board resting on a sinkdivider and on the countertop located in front of the sink divider.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the first member, and the secondmember, which is a cutting board, together with its two attachmentstaken from the cut 4-4 as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the cutting board as shown in FIG. 3together with two “S” shaped attachments on its bottom surface.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a bowl together with a “C” shapedattachment on its bottom surface.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a blade mounted on a body together witha “C” shaped attachment on its bottom surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention comprises a first member, and a second membertogether with its attachment(s). The first member of the invention restson and is attached to the sink divider. The second member of theinvention may be a cutting board or a bowl or a colander or a mountedblade, together with its attachment(s). The second member, together withits attachment(s), is detachably attached to the first member of theinvention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first member 10 and a secondmember of the invention. In this embodiment, the second member of theinvention is a cutting board 12.

FIG. 2 shows a cross sectional, view of the first member 10 whichcomprises a member 14 resting on a sink divider 20 such that the saidmember 14 overhangs over both sides of the sink divider 20. The saidmember 14 has two legs 16 that straddle the sink divider 20. In thisembodiment, bolts 18 are used to attach the two legs 16 to the sinkdivider 20. Other means of attachment may be used. For example, one mayuse screws or thumbscrews.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the second member of the invention.In this embodiment, the second member of the invention is a cuttingboard 12. Part of the cutting board 12 rests on the sink divider andpart of it rests on the countertop located in front of the sink divider.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view showing the cutting board 12, togetherwith its two attachments 22, attached to the first member of theinvention 10. On the underside of the cutting board 12 is a bottomsurface 26. Bolts 24 attach two “S” shaped attachments 22 to the bottomsurface 26 of the said cutting board 12. The two “S” shaped attachments22 are then engaged with the overhang portions of said member 14, whichis shown in FIG. 2. The cutting board 12 together with the two “S”shaped attachments 22 are then slid along said member 14 so that part ofthe cutting board 12 rests on the sink divider and part of it rests onthe countertop located in front of the sink divider.

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the cutting board 12 together withtwo “S” shaped attachments 22 attached to its bottom surface 26.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a bowl 30, together with a “C” shapedattachment 28. In this embodiment, the second member of the invention isa bowl 30. In another embodiment of this invention, the bowl 30 isperforated with holes so that it functions as a colander. For example, apot of spaghetti boiled in water may be poured into the perforated bowl.The spaghetti is left in the perforated bowl and the hot waterharmlessly flows out of the perforated bowl and into the kitchen sink.

The bowl 30 together with its “C” shaped attachment 28 is engaged withthe overhang portions of the member 14, which is shown in FIG. 2. Thebowl 30 together with its “C” shaped attachment 28 are then slid alongthe said member 14 so that the bowl 30 rests on the sink divider.

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a blade 38 mounted on a body 34together with a “C” shaped attachment 40. The “C” shaped attachment 40is engaged with the overhang portions of the member 14, which is shownin FIG. 2. The blade 38 together with the body 34 and the “C” shapedattachment 40 are then slid along the said member 14 so that the blade38 rests on the sink divider. The blade 38 may be used to sharpenknives. Alternatively, it may be used to remove the kernel from coconutsor used to saw meat.

1. An accessory for a double basin kitchen sink comprising: a. a firstmember having first and second opposing edges, a top and bottomsurfaces, a first and second legs connected to said bottom surface andstraddle a sink divider of a double basin kitchen sink with first andsecond opposing edges of said first member overhanging both sides ofsaid sink divider; b. means to attach said first and second legs of saidfirst member to said sink divider; c. a second member having a bottomsurface and an attachment on its bottom surface; d. said attachment ofsaid second member being engaged on said overhang portion of said firstmember; e. whereby said second member being slid along said firstmember.
 2. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said second member is acutting board.
 3. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said second member isa bowl.
 4. The accessory of claim 1 wherein said second member is a bowlperforated with a plurality of holes.
 5. The accessory of claim 1wherein said second member is a blade mounted on a body.
 6. Theaccessory of claim 1 wherein said means to attach said first and secondlegs of said first member to said sink divider comprises bolts.
 7. Theaccessory of claim 1 wherein said means to attach said first and secondlegs of said first member to said sink divider comprises screws.
 8. Theaccessory of claim 1 wherein said means to attach said first and secondlegs of said first member to said sink divider comprises thumbscrews.